


Marked for Demolition

by AstralOmega



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Frottage, M/M, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, The one where the others name is written on them from birth, you know the one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-06-08 04:26:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6838984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstralOmega/pseuds/AstralOmega
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>General Hux is born with a name on his skin like everyone else, and he doesn't think much of it until he finds the man with the matching name. Then life gets complicated.</p><p>(only goes to chapter 5, will unfortunately be forever abandoned. I'm sorry.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Like a Tattoo

**Author's Note:**

> I apologise, I'm not so good at writing summaries. Especially when I have so much plot in mind but haven't actually written it yet.

The name birthmark always stayed hidden on the General’s wrist by his uniform, and even when he was young he had it covered. His Father preferred for him to not show it. The identity of a soulmate could be considered a weakness and used against him, so it wouldn’t do to have such information displayed to the public.

It was also a weakness to even indulge in such silly fantasies such as ‘soulmates’ and ‘emotions’ and ‘love’ so he was told to forget it. Over time he began to believe the notions that even looking at it was a weakness and part of him considered having it removed, but his vanity wouldn’t allow him to have the ugly scar that was usually left from the procedure. Of course he couldn’t run the risk of it injuring his trigger finger either, so it stayed.

Every now and again when he was alone and stripped of his uniform, the words caught his eye and he idly wondered who “Ben Organa” even was. He pitied whatever poor chap had his name in his skin, and hoped that whoever it was didn’t dream of finding the man that matched the name since it would never happen. Even if they did by chance meet he wasn’t interested in a relationship.

As he rose through the ranks and he came to know that his rival’s last name was Organa, he dismissed any connection. There must have been hundreds of Organas on Alderaan, and it was foolish to think that no more than one had survived with the population of the galaxy being so interbred among planets. He didn’t see researching her family beyond her husband and son that was marked as missing to be of any importance, and never linked it to the name on his wrist.

When he met Kylo Ren there was some flicker of recognition that he didn’t understand since he was sure he had never met the man before. It was hard to tell with the ridiculous mask on, but something constantly bugged him. He put it further from his thoughts the more he got to know the monster in the black robes, however, and focused more on his hatred.

He hated how reckless and uncontrollable he was, he hated how he stalked around the ship carrying with him a cloud of infuriating darkness, and he hated that once he’d finally seen what was under the mask, there had been a stirring of attraction that had taken far too much effort to strangle. He had no time for ridiculous feelings aimed at a ridiculous child. Even if there was some mutual attraction it would be pointless, since the name didn’t match the one on his wrist. He reminded himself emphatically.

Stupid; pointless. He convinced himself that the way he magnetically gravitated towards the rage-fueled entity was because of a shared bloodlust that could be beneficial chemistry if correctly applied and it wasn’t because of the fascinating way that Ren’s beauty marks made constellations on his skin that Hux certainly did not want to trace with his fingertips.

It was an entirely professional attraction and any passion behind it was hatred. Simple. And this hatred was easily fueled when the base began to fall around his ears and he received the order to find and collect Ren.

From the air Hux could see the cracks appearing in the icy surface of the base and he imagined he could feel every one of them in his own heart. It was his life’s work crumbling before his eyes and although logic told him that he’d move on like he always did and continue to be a good soldier, that the First Order would live on as he did, emotions never really listened to logic.

He huffed as the trooper flying the transport alerted them that they were landing at the site that Ren’s locator was pointing to and turned the disappointment back into anger at the one he blamed for the destruction. If he had just gotten the droid instead of the girl…

He stepped out into the snow as the troopers collected Ren’s body. He didn’t care at that point whether or not it was a corpse as he let his boots sink in the surface of the planet one last time and wished it a silent farewell. He wouldn’t let himself care until the transport was safely off planet and headed towards the Finalizer.

Hux’s blood boiled as he watched the medics work on the knight. He was alive, it seemed, and although his instinct was to push them out of the way and shake the fool until he woke up enough to receive a good beating, he held his ground and waited. He scraped his nails against the palm of his hand in his tension, squeezing his hand into a fist and releasing it.

Anger. That’s what this was, not worry; rage.

As the medics finished, he dismissed them and went to inspect what mangled piece of human garbage he would be returning to the supreme leader with his own eyes. The wound on his face had cauterized immediately, leaving an ugly gash through his once smooth skin. He shifted the knight slightly to inspect the wound on his shoulder that had similar damage and froze as he noticed the dark smudge near it on his back.

His hand clenched again and his world swam for a moment as he stepped back feeling like the breath had been knocked from his lungs and the floor had floated away from his feet.

What had looked like a dark smudge was, in fact, a name.

His name.


	2. Desperate Protocol and Supression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't think anything here is healthy.

As soon as the shuttle docked with the Finalizer Hux dismissed himself, confident that the men and women he worked with would be able to handle the unconscious Ren and get him to the med bay unaccompanied. A distant voice in his mind reminded him that there was a list of work he had to do but it would have to wait until he got the room to stop spinning, his heart to stop pounding and his skin to stop feeling like he wasn’t even attached to it as he marched in his regular stiff motion to his quarters.

The moment he was inside he tore open the tunic’s collar that felt like it was choking him in the imagined heat of the room. If any of his troops were acting the way he was, he would have them sent to med bay or possibly reconditioning. He was being ridiculous- he had to calm down.

Gasping for breath, he gripped the edge of his desk, feeling the cool metal of it under his hands. Get it together. The name is meaningless. This whole situation is ridiculous and unnecessary. He’d told himself for so long not to worry about the name and there was no reason why he should start now.

His grip tightened and he closed his eyes, sucking in a long breath. There. Logic. As time passed and his eyes remained closed, his heart calmed down, but he still had the slight nagging ache that always accompanied those ridiculous outbursts that his body had occasionally.

With a “So!” barked towards the datapad on his desk, he began to make a list in his mind of things to do and pulled the pen from the side of it to scribble on the surface. The tactile feeling of handwriting the list rather than typing always helped. It was almost like a warm blanket being thrown around his shivering shoulders- not that he would ever describe it as such out loud.

The first item on the list.

Now that he was in possession of this new information, he would decide later what to do with it. If Ren was ‘Ben Organa’ all along, there was a chance he could be connected to the resistance leader. That was the kind of information that was perfect to keep up his sleeve where the name had always lived. As he wrote it he nodded and let his thumb swipe over the black smudge under his sleeve. Finally it might be useful.

The next items were the cleanup- too many reports to even consider, damages to assess, personnel to account for- the list seemed endless, but he organized it carefully. Once it was complete, he busied himself with completing it, feeling the anxiety dissipate as he forced himself to focus. Everything currently in the First Order was a mess, and he had to figure out what resources he had left to work with to move forward.

The light on the ship never changed, so time was impossible to track without looking at something that marked it and it wasn’t until he heard a ping from his comms hat he realised how many hours had passed. He hadn’t felt hungry or tired the entire time, using his work almost as a meditative trance for almost 24 hours, and now that his concentration was broken, irritated tension pulled on his shoulders and neck.

“Report.” He snapped into the comm. He was too out of it to even look at who it was from.

“Sir, the med bay has reported that Lord Ren is awake, but he’s left. His injuries are still too severe for him to be moving, but…” The person on the other end of the line trailed off. It went without saying- Ren ignored all pleas for him to stay and now was stalking around the ship, likely bleeding out, and the only person who wouldn’t be immediately killed for questioning him was the General himself.

“Thank you, I’ll handle it.” He flicked the comm off before waiting for a response and sighed heavily. Weariness had begun to soak into his bones and his stomach ached with hunger, but dealing with his physical needs would have to wait. It was time to babysit.

His tracker was useless unless Ren was wearing his belt, so he checked through the security cameras on the ship to find where he went, heading there as soon as he got his lead. 

He didn’t really need to since the knight was exactly where he assumed he’d be- in his own quarters, most likely sulking. It wasn’t as if Ren deserved it, but Hux politely rang the chime on his door and waited for a reply. When there was none, he entered the master override code and stepped inside.

The room was mostly dark except for the glow from a few sources- wall temperature control console, the screen of his datapad, some small glowing stone that Ren had on a shelf- but it was barely enough to make the figure on the floor visible.

Ren sat upright, facing away from the door and his head bowed as if meditating. With a crinkle of his nose, the general noticed the trail of blood drops leading from the door to where he sat.

There was silence.

With a frown, Hux stepped inside and closed the door behind him before turning the lights up.

“What are you doing?” Hux glared at him, letting his eyes roam over the planes of Ren’s muscled back. He was looking for further injury- that’s what he told himself as he held himself stiffly with his hands behind his back.

Still no response.

“Your injuries are too severe for you to be out of bed right now.”

More silence. It was beginning to get tedious.

“You need to heal.”

“The Dark Side will heal me.” Ren’s voice sounded hoarse as if he had been screaming for days or possibly crying, but there was no sign of the damage to the room that normally came with his screams. Hux ventured further into the room, watching the muscle shift as Ren fidgeted side to side.

“Soon enough to be of use to me or to the supreme leader?” Hux raised an eyebrow hoping for more words to see if it was tears or pain that had gripped Ren’s throat.

“Yes.” Ren’s head bowed a little.

“Are you in pain?”

“The pain focuses me.” Ren sat up straighter making the bandage over the blaster wound to his side shift. 

“And the bleeding?”

Ren looked down to the drips running down over his hip. They were beginning to pool slightly on the floor below him. Silently, he put his eyes forward again, as if trying to ignore it. Hux circled around him, looking down at the top of his head for a moment before crouching and attempting to catch his eyes.

“You’re not going to be able to complete your training if you bleed out, you fool. At least let me patch that.” He nodded towards the bandage.  
Ren seemed to be doing his best to hide his face in the cascading hair and whatever shadows it cast. Hux just tried not to look at it as the ugly scar pulled tight at something in his chest. Was it pity? He’d make an extra effort ignore it, whatever it was.

“You can keep the rest of the injuries if you require the pain that much, but I refuse to let you bleed all over my ship.” With that he got to his feet, holding a hand out to help Ren up. He hesitated, almost curling in on himself for half a second before he stood of his own power, ignoring the hand.  
“Fine.” He glanced towards the desk and pulled a first aid kit out of the top drawer. Hux caught it neatly as he pulled it towards them. “I can do it myself, you know.” Kylo grumbled still hiding his face. 

“I know.” Hux motioned for him to take a seat. “But I need to be sure it’s done right.” 

Kylo complied, still hesitant, and perched himself on the arm of his black chair, making himself a comfortable height for Hux to work. His face stayed constantly turned away and as the General pulled on some gloves he realised with curiosity that it wasn’t the scar that Ren seemed to be trying to hide, but the fact that his eyes were red as if he had been crying after all. 

He was torn. 

His first instinct was for ridicule. It was how they functioned- the constant back and forth of insults and low blows in a constant need to prove which one of them was dominant and more worthy of Snoke’s favour. However, a heavy feeling in the silence between them made him think twice. 

He covered the wound with a bacta patch and bit his tongue as Ren kept his head bowed and his hands clenched into fists and ripped the gloves off neatly once it was done. 

“Thank you.” The acknowledgment from the knight was barely a whisper as he released a breath. 

Hux studied him for a moment before pushing some of the hair away from his face and looking at it plainly. He hadn’t had a chance to since- well he couldn’t remember when, and the scar didn’t suit him. 

“Is there anything else I can help with?” It must have been the sleep deprivation that made him ask since he had far more personal matters to deal with than further nurturing. Ren kept his eyes cast down for a full three seconds before looking up to meet his. 

“No.” He croaked. There was clearly something more he wanted to say, but Hux wasn’t going to pry. His patience was gone. 

“Rest. If you require anything comm me.” Hux stood, taking his hand back away from Ren’s hair. As he strode towards the door once more he flicked his wrist vaguely at the floor. “And clean this up at once.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the first chapter I stole a song title because I thought I was witty though it didn't really fit the theme. Now my chapter titles will be song titles because why not? This chapter is two titles smushed together "Desperate Protocol" and "Suppression" both by Two Steps From Hell.


	3. Darkxis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren sees Snoke face to face.

Ren did not comm. In fact, he made no contact during his healing until they were at the rendezvous point given by Snoke. The only acknowledgment he gave was a nod in Hux’s direction when leaving the ship on his own. He was not in the mood to speak with anyone and most of all he did not want to show the overwhelming weakness he had felt since the base’s destruction. Snoke would know of some of it, but his mask hid it well from the man who would only use it against him.

The trip from orbit seemed to take less than a heartbeat as he focused his attention on preparing himself to meet face to face with the shadows incarnate below once more. It had been an age since he had last been there and training away from the cloying feeling of ancient evil that grabbed at his throat with every breath had made him forget how intimidating Snoke’s true presence could be. It was different than facing a hologram. It was stronger and darker.

As he stepped from the ship and into the rocky surface of the nearly barren planet, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the earthy and slightly rotten scent of the air. He would show no sign of intimidation; only reference. He would use the darkness around him like a shield covering the bleeding wound that sat in the center of his chest and hiding it from sight. He would become the creature that he looked like on the outside- emotionless and strong. He refused to face Snoke any other way.

The dark robed figure stalked towards the stone building in the distance. It looked like it had once been some kind of courthouse or home of parliament with its grand columns and high ceilings. The rocks beneath his feet were remnants of a great paved pathway that was once abandoned and overgrown with weeds but even the plants went the way of the past inhabitants when the sun that sustained them dimmed.

Inside the building the crumbled ruin of a fountain trickled water in a small damp stream into a reception area with a broken mosaic telling a story long since forgotten. Shards of glass from the ceiling caught what little light they could and threw crystalline patterns on every surface. It would have been strangely beautiful if he could have taken the time to soak in the vision. Instead, he followed his usual path through a corridor and a set of large heavy doors into an internal meeting chamber.

Inside was more well-kept than the rest of the building. Chairs still stood in an arc around a center podium that mimicked the design of the meeting room that had been built on Starkiller for their meetings. It was clean and a newer model holo-projector apparatus was set up in the middle. The knights had scavenged the technology necessary for long range transmissions over the course of several missions, and often kept him up to date.

This time none of the other knights were there. The only one was Ren and he took a knee in front of where Snoke usually sat, bowing his head and waiting. Above him a holo flickered to life- massive and awe-inspiring like the ones that always greeted him when he was away from the dark planet, but he didn’t raise his eyes, keeping them fixed on the floor.

“Master, the challenge is complete. I am here at your command. I wish to complete my training.” The voice through the helmet was stern and pointed as if he was proving his strength. His fist clasped as he steadied himself. He was still weak, but he refused to show it as he waited for a response from the creature.

After a few moments the holo flickered off leaving the room in relative darkness without the blue glow. Ren still didn’t look up waiting for any other sign that he had been acknowledged. The mask began to feel stifling, but he refused shift his stance or take it off.

“Kylo Ren.” The way the deep hissing voice pronounced his name made it sound like the name of a great plague that caused weeping sores and noxious smells. Ren was not sure if it was his failure with Starkiller of this weakness he was doing his best to hide that was earning such contempt, but he would not ask.

“You completed the task set for you well despite your utter failure in all other things.” Ren winced, waiting for some kind of punishment as if a reminder of his shortcomings was not enough- as if the harsh reminder of that entire traumatic day was not already tearing into him like a pack of rathtars, leaving him in agony every second that he allowed himself to think of it.

The sound of a small, hovering platform moving into position made Ren shift so that both of his knees were pressed into the marble of the floor. He bowed his head lower showing submission the more vicious of the two animals in the room.

“Remove your mask.” Ren silently did as he was told, putting the mask to his side on the floor and pushing the hood of his cloak back onto his shoulders. His hair still hung in front of his face, but it was still clear to see. One layer of protection was gone.

“That scar makes you look like a pathetic bounty hunter too stupid to dodge an attack from his mark as it fought back.” Snoke’s voice was closer- right above him- but he would not look. Ren closed his eyes to the shame of it. He wouldn’t consider himself vain if anybody asked, but he hated the scare more than he thought he would ever hate anything on his own body. Looking in the mirror brought a pain to his chest as he remembered how he’d gotten it, and what he had done to make him so addled that he had not been able to avoid it. He wished he could heal it and let himself forget, but the physical reminder would be with him for the rest of his life.

“It suits you,” Snoke sneered. “Look at me.” 

Ren did as he was told, looking up at the shriveled little creature before him. Snoke looked like he had been a man once- though clearly not very tall- but extreme age and whatever had caused the injury to his face and upper body had left him a ghost of what he was. His bones and muscle had wasted and his skin was nearly translucent. Ren was sure that if Snoke wasn’t wearing the robes to cover his brittle skeleton that he would be able to see right through him. The only thing that stopped him from believing that he could overpower the Leader was his overwhelming strength in the dark side.

Ren suspected it was the only thing keeping him alive- the pure power coursing through his veins instead of blood and keeping his mind and soul alive while the shell that contained it turned to dust. It was no wonder Snoke needed the knights to get anything done. He needed bodies as tall, strong, and imposing as he wished to be. It was also the reason that the holo was so large. Hux would heasitate to listen if he saw the reality of Snoke’s form. He wasn’t force sensitive so he would not be able to sense the true strength that Snoke possessed.

“That task that you completed was supposed to remove the light within you.” Snoke looked Ren up and down judgingly, making him stiffen. It was as if he was looking through him and pulling at threads of thoughts. He let him, steering towards the well of darkness in his mind and hiding the truth. Snoke was not stupid, however. Ren knew he sensed the deception but he was relying on him making assumptions as to the nature of them rather than searching for the truth. Snoke could tear him apart atom by atom to find the truth if he wished but Ren relied on the fact that the Leader was too weak to risk it, and too confident in the idea that he owned Ren completely.

“But it didn’t work did it?” Snoke glared.

“Master the light was vanquished as Han Solo was. I am here to serve and complete-.”

“LIAR!” The sudden shout echoed around the room and Snoke’s presence felt ten times bigger as he stood up, his force pressing against Ren like a tsunami and making him waver. Ren was silent as he trembled.

“You are weak and foolish, boy.” Snoke’s voice felt like the shards from the foyer has flown into the room and pelted the back of Ren’s mind. “You are the Master of my Knights and you cannot even do this one simple thing.” 

Ren watched in horror as Snoke stepped down from his covering throne and walked across to him, grabbing his hair with a burst of force and tipping his head back so that they were face to face.

“I was going to give you the final piece of the power that would let you rule alongside me but it is clear that you are not ready.” With a shove, Ren’s face was against the marble and he was released from the hold. Snoke stalked back to the throne and sat in it once more, glaring at him.

“Perhaps you are not ready and never will be. I should dispose of the waste,” Snoke hissed. 

Ren got to his feet, picking up his helmet to hold it under his arm. Fear pulsed through his veins and he grabbed it by the throat, wrangling it into something more manageable. Rage; ambition.

“Give me another test, Master. I will not fail you again. I will personally squeeze the life from every one of your enemies with my bare hand if you wish it.” His cries appeared to give Snoke pause as waves of impulse radiated off him through the force. He needed to serve. He needed to destroy.

“Very well.” Snoke leaned back dismissively, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of the Finalizer in orbit. “Return to the ship until I can find something else for you. Meditate on your failures and heal your pathetic, broken body. I grow tired of you displeasing me.” With that he appeared to be done with Ren, turning his hover platform back towards the rear doors of the room, leaving Ren to his own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SNOKE IS THE WURST (and is smol)  
> I wanted to name this one after another Two Steps from Hell song called "Stumpy" because holy moly it's creepy and makes you feel like you need to have a shower and is slightly terrifying? (Just like I imagine what being in Snoke's presence is like.) But I thought I ought to name it something that wouldn't be hilarious, it's just another good horror track.   
> (This band is going to end up being the sound track to this fic I swear. I apologise.)


	4. Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren throws a tantrum and a little secret is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long, assignments got a little hectic but if you want to poke me or anything like that feel free to follow me on on Tumblr @ www.homosexualhuxandbiloren.tumblr.com

As soon as Hux saw Ren exit his ship he could tell that Ren wasn’t in a good mood. Not that he ever truly was, of course but this was far more sour than usual.  
  
He threw a trooper across the docking bay with a push of force simply for saying “Welcome back, sir,” and Hux knew he had to go and speak to him. Anybody else would suffer the same fate as the trooper or worse. That, and he also mostly wanted to know why he was back so soon- he was supposed to have completed his training, but he’d been gone for less than a day.  
  
Hux had assumed the training would make him more restrained and powerful, but his mood was more uncontrolled than ever.  
  
He went to meet him by standing outside the door that led from the docking bay to the part of the ship where Ren’s quarters were located, blocking the way.  
  
“Move out of my way.” The growl through the mask sounded eerie and threatening, but Hux didn’t back down. He wasn’t afraid of the man behind the mask, so why should the presence of a gaudy piece of plastic and metal change that? He stood his ground for a moment, holding what eye contact he could with the mask before Ren pushed past him.  
  
Hux decided that it would be better to check on him later- after Ren had stopped acting like a child.

\---  
Ren stomped to his quarters, ignoring anybody he saw on the way. As soon as he got inside he ripped his helmet off and threw it to the floor putting another dent in it to match the others. Tears burned his eyes and it felt like another being was inside the room with him, holding him by the throat by the force with how much it hurt to swallow. He was failing. There was so much at stake and he could feel it slipping away before his eyes.  
  
Crushing doubt that he was even worthy of his task drained him and he searched the room for some answer to his problem, trying very slowly to take some deep breaths and calm himself as his master had taught him when he was a young padawan. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in his bunk and sleep until his failure didn’t sting- but whenever he tried to sleep when he was this emotional he was plagued with nightmares and visions that kept him from feeling any ounce of rest in the morning.  
  
He decided on the only way he knew how to calm himself and picked up the helmet once more, taking a deep breath as he lowered it onto his head and exited his quarters once more. As he swept through the corridors, news of what he’d done in the docking bay had already spread and the message that came with it was clear- ‘Lord Ren is not to be disturbed. Move out of his path as quickly as you can.’ It made it easier to make his way to his destination, but he tried not to think too hard about it.

Ren always went to the training rooms late at night, practicing with his saber or practice combat weapons well after most had gone to sleep. Nobody questioned him, even when he occasionally looked about to pass out when he left. In fact, most of the time he looked on the verge of death by exhaustion when his training was done and any room that he happened to occupy was labelled as out of order by the rest of the staff until he was finished. The last thing they wanted was to get in the way of his fit of whatever it was that drove him. It was thought that anybody that did get in the way wouldn’t survive.

He did whatever it took, using the maximum energy possible in these late night training sessions and anybody who happened to see him wondered how he stayed on his feet after them. There were rumours, of course, that he wasn’t human or that the force itself was somehow able to give him superhuman stamina and strength. Only Hux thought he knew what he was doing and why. Hux had done the same often at the academy, and thought he could see all the signs. Ren had felt his presence more than one night briefly and felt the thoughts that hung about him, but he was always gone before Ren broke his concentration enough to look.

Hux would not bring up the topic, though. The general thought that mentioning the tiny weakness that he perceived would damage Ren’s pride irreparably. Maybe it would, but Ren wasn’t ready to think of it himself. He stripped off his heavy robes, leaving nothing but his pants and bandages as he gathered the things he wished to use. Tonight it was training weapons- the heaviest he could find. He swung the weighted staff around experimentally, feeling his muscles come to life as blood flowed through them. He practiced for a little while, kicking and swinging the weapon hard to try and beat away the unseen enemy of his thoughts. 

He felt a presence in the room and heard the door slide closed quietly. The identity of the intruder was obvious, even if he paid no attention, continuing the brutal attack on the air as if he was still alone. Hux thought he was being silent but the curiosity shone out of him like an orange beacon on the top of a light house and Ren could not ignore him too much longer.

"What?" Ren huffed, catching his breath as he force-jumped away, landing in a fighting stance and glaring at the General. The tension was evident in his shoulders. He needed to move, needed to be violent to let it out, but he held his ground, waiting for some kind of response.

"Training is more effective with a partner." Hux said simply, unbuckling the belt of his tunic. Ren tensed and tightened his grip on the weapon. He still did not want to see anybody, and seeing Hux in particular only made him angrier. Hux was a threat- not in the way that he was stronger or more powerful than Ren but in the way that his mind was sharp and Ren had to stay alert around him lest anything unwanted slipped.

Ren believed that, in another life with less war and power plays and less need to be in opposition, they could have been close friends. They had too many similarities to deny, and the calm of Hux’s blue-green eyes were always a source of turmoil for Ren. He wanted to lose himself in them and in moments alone he even caught himself in wild imaginings, but he would never admit to any feelings beyond hatred. Not to Snoke, not to Hux, not to anybody.

He watched Hux strip his uniform tunic off, leaving him with just the singlet and trousers underneath. He fidgeted slightly, not sure whether to shout for him to leave or allow the intrusion. He could use the challenge, after all, and perhaps having Hux around would make his mind sharpen once more so he would not focus so much on his current issues. He stood up straighter, leaning the weapon against the wall and rolling his shoulders.

As Hux dropped the clothing over to the side of the training mat, he noticed then the band of black fabric around Hux’s wrist. Curiosity overcame him and he glared, stepping back in position to brace himself. He had a plan to find out what Hux was hiding with that piece of non-regulation decoration.

“I would prefer a challenge,” Ren’s eyes glittered. He was tired, but his melancholy mood had lifted like a fog hanging just above him but allowing him to see underneath it in the face of a new puzzle to solve.

“You assume I have no skills in combat.” Hux raised an eyebrow as he stretched his arms above his head to limber up as he stepped onto the mat.

“No shoes.” Kylo pointed to the boots that he had left on, taunting him. He had never seen Hux without his boots on- in fact it was the most he had ever seen the man undressed the way he was. He seemed to always want to be in uniform, always posturing- and with the slender figure that was revealed when Hux removed his tunic, he could see why. 

Hux sighed and looked down at them before acquiescing. They seemed complicated to take off as he adjusted something in the heel that loosened the leather around his calf and allowed him to slide them off. Of course he did not have normal boots with a normal fastening. Of course, how could he have expected anything less.

“Do all officers wear those?” Ren pulled a face. It seemed completely superfluous for everyone to be wearing them, but as Ren thought on it, he had never actually paid attention to any of the officers’ boots. They did seem to have tight regulations on their uniforms that seemed more for aesthetics than actual functionality, though.

“No.” Hux admitted. “My rank allows me certain luxuries.”

“Luxuries,” Ren scoffed, circling around as Hux stepped back onto the mat barefoot and adopting a fighting stance. “Understatement.” Ren had seen that style of boot before. Usually it was royalty, high maintenance smugglers, or slave traders that wore them since they were so expensive.

“It’s not like you’re not without your own luxuries, Ren, and it hardly matters. It seems like you’re just trying to distract me” Hux stretched again. “What will be the rules.”

“No weapons, no rules. I won’t use the force of course- I should give you _some_ chance.” Ren’s fingers twitched as he looked the General up and down. It had been a while since he fought without the powers he had within him, so it would be entertaining.

“Good.” Hux nodded, sidestepping and watching for any kind of opening. “There’s no point if you end it too quickly. You’ll learn nothing.” 

“Learn?” Ren scoffed. “Is this part of my training from Snoke? I thought he would have given me a better opponent to actually advance my skill.” The sadness was back again for a moment, but he suddenly predatory look in Hux’s eyes as he believed he had found a weakness brought him back to reality.

“I was under the impression that you were to complete that training on the planet.” Hux taunted. “What happened there?”

“That is-.” As soon as he began his answer, Hux struck out with his fist, making Ren have to think about blocking. The slight sting as the other’s fist landed on his forearm fortified him and he struck back, only hitting air as Hux dodged. So Hux was faster than the constricting uniform he always wore made him appear. It was exactly what Ren wanted. He struck out a few more times, eager to land a hit but Hux was too fast.

“He said I was not ready,” Ren spat, “Said that there was too much light in me, that I was unable to embrace the dark.” The bitterness of the matter that he was unable to hide the simple fact that he had kept to himself for so long overwhelmed him. He had hidden that sliver of light from Snoke for so many years and one day had ruined all of his hard work. He had to get stronger, he had to rebuild his defences and push down all of the emotions that were not rage and fear and anything that he could turn to his advantage. 

He stepped back nimbly as Hux struck out with his foot, sweeping it across the floor, intending to trip him.

“Was he wrong?” Hux grinned, obviously trying to pluck at his irritation and heighten it. Maybe being annoyed would serve as a distraction though Ren would not let that happen. He turned his own move against him while he was off balance.

Hux’s back hit the floor, knocking the breath out of him slightly and Ren dropped on top of him, his knees cradling his opponent gently and forearm across his throat to hold him firmly in place. His eyes flashed anger as he leaned in, nose stopping inches from Hux’s face.

“I am ready to complete my training. I am stronger than he knows. He is blind to turn me away,” He hissed. Hux struggled, putting his hands on Ren’s arm to push it out of the way, but froze as Ren grabbed the wrist with the black band on it and pinned it to the floor. “I am not so blind.” Ren smirked.

The victory had lifted his mood even more, and he clamped his knees tighter around Hux’s hips to keep him in place as he released his throat. As one hand held the wrist in place, his other hand trailed up to run his fingers under the fabric, pulling at it.

“Did you not think I would notice this and wonder what it was?”

Hux looked panicked for a moment, but seemed to gather himself as Ren didn’t immediately pull it away.

“You won’t like what you see.” Hux said matter-of-factly. He set Ren with a challenging gaze that made him force his eyes away. He was in no position to be staring into those eyes in case he let his mind wander. Hux looked good as he was- his flushed face matched his hair that had fallen from its usual slick style to fan out around his head. He was mesmerizing, and if Ren wasn’t careful, he might let his excitement show.

“Won’t I?” Ren’s eyebrows shot up as he pulled at the fabric, tearing it away. He slid his eyes up the length of the arm, pausing when he noted the black smudge and the letters came into focus. His veins chilled as he read the words again, his mind racing as he contemplated all possible meanings of what was happening.

“I told you.” Hux seemed to notice the wave of emotion that washed over Ren’s face, but it wasn’t clear what he read in it. Ren knew of the soulmate marks, though he had never asked whose name was on his own skin. By the time he was old enough to understand the meaning of the word he was too busy with Snoke to care. Snoke would never tell him either. He believed that the name would be meaningless, that there was no room for a soulmate in the life of Kylo Ren.

“I’m sorry.” Ren muttered as he pulled his hands away from the other man’s arm awkwardly and got to his feet. He took a few steps back, shaking and clenching his fists to control said shaking. 

“I’m sorry that he’s dead.” He sneered, covering his lurching feeling of confusion with spite. There was a pause as Hux laid on his back, staring up at him. Then Hux began to chuckle, hopping up nimbly to his feet.

“It hardly matters.” Hux looked at the name he had been covering. Ren was unable to read the meaning of the almost fond gaze the name was getting, even with his usual ability to pick that kind of thing up. He wasn’t exactly switched onto it in his current state of mind.

“The notion of romantic ‘soulmates’ is a ridiculous one, and at best this merely means we should be compatible enough to work together effectively.” The way he seemed so nonchalant about it made Ren’s fists clench and release again. 

Part of him did want to believe in soulmates. Despite what Snoke would say, and despite the fact that his destiny seemed geared towards never indulging such a thing- right from birth he was supposed to be a ruler, then a Jedi, and now something else. He still wanted to believe. The name that had been on Leia’s skin before she had it removed was not his father’s and in his heart he believed that was the problem with them- with him.

“Of course.” Ren spoke through gritted teeth. “I suppose you have seen your own name on me, then?” He wanted to be sure. Maybe there was another Ben Organa somewhere out there in the universe. Maybe this was all a mistake, and this whole mess of emotion that he had never counted on could be erased and discarded as something completely meaningless.

“Yes.” Hux seemed wary, watching Ren’s reactions. “It’s why I thought you might be offended by this.” He held up his arm.

“How can something meaningless be offensive?” Ren’s chest pounded and his gut felt hollow. He would need to meditate heavily to clear this mess.

“I’m glad we are on the same page.” Hux picked up the cloth and tied it back around his wrist. “Though the notion of working together effectively seems moot when you’re the mess you currently are.” His face was back in that expression again that looked like he had just smelled something unpleasant. Ren bristled.

“What are you implying?” He tensed as if ready for a fight again.

“You get told by _daddy_ Snoke that you’re not good enough, and immediately come in here and throw a tantrum.” The nerve of him eased Ren’s nerves and confusion with every word, coalescing the feelings into anger. “I thought you would be better than that. You are a weapon, Kylo Ren, and if you cannot take a small amount of criticism, then clearly you are not an effective one.”

Ren stepped closer, hoping to intimidate him. Though Hux is only marginally shorter, Ren is broader and the dark feelings of the force radiate off him whenever he gets angry. He was not expecting a verbal battle, and to be so effectively insulted- he is not happy, to say the least.

“Do not mock me.” Ren hisses, breaking into the bubble of Hux’s space.

“Or what?” Hux stands his ground apparently unfazed. Ren isn’t entirely sure how to react to that so he grabs the front of Hux’s singlet, glaring at him and standing all too close. The air hisses between them as their competition manifests itself in the force. It’s intoxicating, and being this close to the man with those cold, mossy eyes he can’t help himself.

He leans in the extra inch to kiss him, one hand still balled in his singlet, the other roughly going for his beautiful orange hair. It’s short and chaste but filled with so much restraint that when Ren pulls back again, Hux bites his lip.

“Are you saying I should mock you more often?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is name for Starlight by Muse. Mostly for the line "black holes and revelations" but I listened to the song to see if it fit and it ended up hurting a bit.
> 
> ANYWAY! Looks like I'm going to have to change the tags and ratings for the next chapter *winks seductively @ all of u*


	5. Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Hux find a better way to let out their frustrations than sparring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like it's time to update the rating and tags on the fic!

It was stupid to encourage him, but there was something in the air between them that had Hux curious. Ren’s lips were as soft as they looked, and Hux wanted nothing more than to see how rough they could get. No. That thought wasn’t worth following. Stop there.

He put his hand up to Ren’s aiming to disentangle the other man’s large hand from his clothing when the look on Ren’s face caught his eye. He stopped, his fingers resting on Ren’s and watched him. There was some kind of battle in Ren’s mind and again he let his damned curiosity control him.

“Let go.” He ordered softly, and after a second, Ren complied. Interesting. He wondered what else he could get him to comply with. He smoothed his clothing down with his hand, his eyes never leaving Ren’s. He looked as if he was barely restraining some kind of action, and the fact that he had any restraint at all was nice to see.

After a beat Ren leaned in again, seemingly eager to kiss him, but Hux put his hand up in the way, his fingertips colliding with Ren’s mouth.

“This is hardly the place,” He frowned. Tingles went down his spine a moment later when Ren grabbed his wrist, his thumb running over his own name as his lips parted and he kissed the tips of Hux’s fingers. Hux flushed, though he’d deny it.

“You know; the reason I came to train tonight is because I could not sleep.” Ren murmured. His voice was doing things to Hux that he didn’t wish to think about. “You offered to help me, but perhaps fighting is not the best way.”

When Ren’s lips surrounded the tip of Hux’s finger and he felt his teeth clamping onto it just enough to feel the sharp edges, that thought of what else he could get Ren to comply with came back with a fierce passion.

“A sudden change of heart,” Hux smirked. “Perhaps I should mock you more often.” It had been a while since he’d taken anybody to bed, and the urge to do so had dwindled to nothing over time. This sudden reawakening of his arousal was unexpected, possibly unwelcome, but begged to be taken care of.

What could be the harm? Maybe fucking the younger man into submission would make him more willing to behave and less likely to destroy more areas of his ship. His mind began to plan the route to his quarters, finding ways to avoid being seen.

“Do not.” Ren hissed, dropping Hux’s hand, which only earned another predatory smile from the General. Hux licked his lip before leaning down to pick up his uniform and boots.

“If you desire my help to sleep, you can find me in my quarters in five minutes.” He strolled from the room casually. The room seemed to waver with the force as Ren let his thoughts run. Perhaps he was considering his options or trying to contain himself. It didn’t matter- Hux didn’t look back as he left.

\---

Exactly five minutes after Hux got back to his quarters, the chime on his door rang. Part of his wanted to congratulate Ren for his punctuality, but he figured that might be read as condescending, so refrained. He opened the door. Ren had come from the gym in the same state of undress as Hux had left him. Interesting. He stepped to the side and allowed Ren to pass.

There was some awkward time between them as Ren looked around the room, fidgeting as if he wasn’t sure if he had made the right decision. It was almost endearing.

“This, of course, changes nothing.” Hux let his door slide closed before pulling at the hem of his shirt. He didn’t get far before Ren pushed him against the door, pressing his lips into his again. Hux would never admit that the dominant display had thrilled him into wordlessness. He was silently only because he was too busy kissing. That was the entire story.

Fingers skirted under the hem of Hux’s singlet, seemingly unsure of how far they could go. Hux broke away with a fist in Kylo’s hair pulling his face away. He’d definitely file that little desperate moan away for later however. He had words he’d intended to say but the look on Ren’s face, the flush on his cheeks, and the way he seemed to freeze under Hux’s command robbed the words from him before they could be spoken.

He took the kisses to Ren’s throat, scraping teeth over his pulse and drawing more noises from his lungs. The way he squirmed under Hux’s hands was simply exquisite. With a slow slide of lips up the line of Ren’s straining neck, he pressed his lips to Ren’s ear.

“Have you ever even been touched like this before?” He growled, his own hand sliding up Ren’s torso, avoiding the bandages but running up every bump in the firm muscle under his skin.

“I-.” He squirmed once more, face going redder than Hux’s hair. He didn’t answer.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’ then.” Hux smirked. Everything was turning out much better than expected. The other man was clearly so unused to the kind of touches that he was being given that he had no self-control. For once the lack of control pleased him. It was the perfect opportunity to teach him some. He let go some of the grip on Ren’s hair and gave him a wild grin.

“Then allow me.” Hux hooked his fingers in the waistline of Ren’s pants and pulled him towards the bedroom. Ren followed like an eager puppy on a leash his eyes wide and needy and yes- Hux could get used to this. Not that he would- this was a once off, he reminded himself. A passing mood that he would only indulge once.

When he stopped beside the bed Ren crowded him again, hands roaming under Hux’s clothes and desperate for touch. Hux allowed it for only a second before placing his hand on Ren’s bandage and pressing down, making the man wince in pain. Ren stepped back, a hurt expression on his face.

“Are we going to do this or not?” He grumped.

“Patience.” Hux reminded him. “If we are going to do this, we’re going to do this right.”

“Romantic.” Ren wrapped his hand around Hux’s wrist, pushing his hand gently away from his wound.

“No, I just expect to get something from this encounter without you fumbling like a schoolboy.” The contempt in his voice was dangerously close to ruining the mood if Ren’s pouting wasn’t already doing that. Before Ren could respond by storming out or opening his mouth again, Hux kissed him roughly, nibbling at his plush bottom lip.

“I promise it will help you rest too.” He purred. The tension seemed to melt from the knight as he leaned into the kiss. Good. Hux was already getting a little worked up and he didn’t wish to ruin it now. Also Ren seemed so easy to woo- even to the point of being starved for affection. If that’s all it took to make the Knight bend over for him, then Hux was willing to indulge him for now.

He dotted Ren’s face with little kisses hovering around his mouth to distract him as his hands went to the fastenings of Ren’s pants, opening them and dipping his hand inside.

Ren let out another shaky breath, resting his head on Hux’s shoulder as he pressed his hips towards Hux’s hand. There was a tingling feeling in the air around them, making Hux’s skin feel pleasant. He wondered if it was something to do with the force, but dismissed it easily.

“Good,” Hux breathed, watching the flush spread across Ren’s face. Interesting. Ren was already so hard and the praise only seemed to make it worse. The tip of Ren’s cock was already wet, and Hux took the moment to run his fingers through the moisture. Ren squirmed but seemed to be taking the advice of patience to heart.

“Have you ever sucked a cock before?” Hux murmured into the hair at his cheek as his fingers trailed lazy lines up and down Ren’s length. Ren looked up with a hazy expression and Hux took the moment to pressed a lazy kiss to his lips.

“No.” Ren looked ashamed to admit it, his eyes closed as he spoke against Hux’s lips. “But let me try.”

Hux raised his eyebrows. If Ren ever brought it up, the sudden colour on the tips of his ears was Ren’s imagination and very much not a thrill of pleasure at that deep husky voice practically begging to be choked off by Hux’s cock.

“Of course” Hux gathered himself enough to let go of Ren and sit back on the bed. He spread his knees wide enough to invite the other man between them.

Ren dropped immediately to his knees mouthing at the front of Hux’s trousers as if worshiping him. Hux tangled his fingers through he Knight’s hair again, this time gentle and soothing. The other hand went to unfasten his own pants while Ren ran his hands up and down Hux’s thighs, watching hungrily.

As he pulled himself free and shimmied his pants down over his hips, Ren licked his lips in anticipation. Hux couldn’t remember the last time he’d had someone so eager- in fact he couldn’t remember a time at all.

All of his experiences since his first, fumbling time that he’d attempted climax with a woman and realised how unsatisfying it was, were clinical and desperate. Sex was always more focused on a mutual conclusion than any real desire for the other person. Any desire to please was rooted in the need for personal gain and pleasure, but the way Ren looked at him as if he was some kind of deity deigning to give him the blessing of his dick made Hux smile.

Another reason to smile was the fact that Ren wasn’t immediately taking what he wanted as Hux expected he would. He seemed to be waiting for permission, and the very idea gave him a swell of pride in his chest.

“Go on then.” He murmured, softly pushing his hips forward to make his point. Ren complied immediately, leaning in to kiss at the cock before him. His hand wrapped around it gently, feeling the length and exploring with his mouth as Hux watched on.

Ren seemed somewhat unsure, but his enthusiasm made up for any lack of skill. After a moment, he took the tip into his mouth, sucking gently and using his tongue to feel his way down.

“Good.” Hux purred again, gently caressing Ren’s head. It made him even more eager with bobbing his head and doing his best to get as much in his mouth as possible. It wasn’t by far the best blowjob Hux had ever had, but something crawled through his veins as he watched Ren work, making him want to wrap himself around the Knight and just lose himself.

He let his head tip back in pleasure as Ren continued, let his hips move forward a few times with instinct before he felt Ren’s eyes on him and looked back down. Their eyes met and Hux gasped, forcing his eyes shut again. There was something in them that almost overwhelmed him, and he was far too intoxicated with the feeling of the tip of his cock hitting the back of Ren’s throat to try and decipher what it was.

With another little breath he swore, pulling the other man’s head back by his hair and off him.

“Too close,” He explained before tugging his hair up. Ren moved where he was ordered, leaning over Hux to kiss him when Hux pressed their lips together, desperate to distract himself from the orgasm that had threatened to come too soon. He broke away only to nibble at Ren’s earlobe. “Lie down on the bed.”

Ren nodded quickly and crawled behind Hux to do as he was told.

Hux took a moment, while he removed his pants properly, to admire his prize. He was physically a specimen, and the fact that he looked so desperate for touch with his wide begging eyes and the flush across his chest mad Hux forget any nagging doubts he had about the encounter for the moment.

A small whine and a shift of Ren’s hips made him move, straddling the other’s thighs with a hand pressed against Ren’s quivering cock.

“Were you touching yourself while you sucked me?” he let his hand set a languid pace that made Ren’s face contort as if he was in pain.

“No.” Ren breathed squeezing his eyes shut. “You never said-.” The words were cut off with a choking sound and another roll of his hips.

“I’m impressed by your restraint.” Hux smiled, leaning in to shower Ren’s throat and shoulder with tiny kisses. Later he might look back at this dynamic that had manifested itself and wonder at it- usually it took couples a long time to get to this stage of unspokenly fulfilling each other’s desires. Maybe’s Ren’s ability to read minds was coming in handy.

“Good, so good.” Ren writhed and keened at the praise until Hux tipped his hips forward and pressed his length against Ren’s, lining them up until he could wrap his hand around them both, pressing the hot skin together.

“I could fuck you properly but I don’t want to injure you further.” He thrust his hips forward, squeezing gently with his hand so that the ridges of veins on his swollen cock ran along Ren’s. “But this should get you off just as well, yes?” He ran his teeth over Ren’s collar bone, scratching lightly.

Ren’s breaths came in heavy gasps and his fingers clawed at the sheets. He nodded and his eyes flew open to stare at Hux’s face.

_“Please.”_

The word alone almost set Hux over the edge. Kylo Ren- one of the most terrifying beings in the galaxy according to most of the crew of the ship they were on- _begging_ him to get him off. The power trip as dizzying and he began to thrust in earnest, chasing his own pleasure as he murmured praises against Ren’s skin.

Ren held on longer than expected, considering he was supposed to be a virgin. When his quiet string of cursing and pleading (and maker was he _vocal_ when normally he was so silent in everyday life) silenced and he spilled over his chest, Hux wasn’t far behind, stroking them both to the end with a few final pumps of his hips.

He let out a breath and flopped beside Ren, leaving him messy while he caught his breath.

“I am not actually a virgin.” Ren’s voice pulled him from his haze, though he was just as out of breath as Hux. “I have just never been with a man before.” He admitted.

Hux nodded. It didn’t matter to him, really. It still had the same feel as a first time. His skin seemed to vibrate as his muscles relaxed. It was far from the greatest sex he’d ever had but something about it just felt _right_ and he idly wondered if he’d be able to resist the temptation to try it again when Ren was healed.

He swiftly buried the thought, getting up to find something to clean Ren with. Unfortunately, Ren felt the need to continue his confessions.

“I have only had someone in my bed twice before, however, so my inexperience…”

“I don’t care.” Hux snapped throwing a damp cloth onto the mess on Ren’s chest. Ren winced and got to work cleaning.

“You are offended.”

“No.” Hux searched for his pants and slipped them back on. “It is just of no consequence to me. We have both had some experiences in the past and now we have had this just the same. It shan’t be happening again.”

Ren paused as he sat up, looking at the floor for a beat.

“I understand.” He dropped the cloth on the floor and went to gather his clothes. Ren’s melancholy tone was decidedly killing the mood, so Hux placed his hand gently on his shoulder.

“This has been pleasant.” He admitted. He hooked his fingers gently under Ren’s chin to tip his head up and meet his eyes. “I trust you will be able to sleep now. When you heal, you will try again to complete your training. You will be strong again.” He murmured softly. It seemed to be the kind of thing Ren wanted or perhaps needed to hear.

The knight stood, looking deeply into Hux’s eyes in a way that made him shiver and almost begin to understand the allure of power that made Ren intimidating to lesser beings.

“It was enjoyable.” Was all Ren said before leaning down to kiss Hux chastely on the lips. Hux reeled at the tenderness of it and stepped back.

Before he could return it, or protest, or figure out which he wanted to do, Ren finished gathering his clothes and left, leaving Hux more confused than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time 4 the frick frack
> 
> Chapter named after wRoNg by Zayne thanks to someone (you know who you are ♥) who gave me his CD and that's the main song that stood out to me hahaha


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